Scattered bursts of sleet and snow, accompanied by cold air and gusty wind Friday

We see more clouds Thursday, but stay mostly dry. Friday brings a brief blast of wintry weather for some of us.

Scattered bursts of rain, sleet and snow in parts of the area

ROANOKE, Va. – In recent days, we’ve been treated to temperatures in the 60s and sunshine. That changes, somewhat, for us Thursday. A system to our south is throwing some clouds our way, which will keep temperatures in the 50s Thursday. Any slight chance of rain Thursday would happen in the evening and in Southside. Otherwise, we’re dry.

ANY chance of rain Thursday evening would be across Southside.

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As that system passes east, another one approaches from the west. We’ll start Friday out dry. By midday and especially during the afternoon, this “clipper” system will begin to produce some scattered snow bursts (squalls) in the higher elevations. Some spill over will happen into parts of the New River Valley, and it may start as a little bit of sleet. It may even rain briefly in parts of the Roanoke Valley, before seeing a burst or two of snow in areas like Catawba, Bradshaw, Cave Spring and Bent Mountain.

Scattered bursts of rain, sleet, snow possible Friday afternoon

If there’s any accumulation, it would likely be on the grass and in higher elevations. We’ve simply been too warm. With this happening in the day and with the sun higher in the sky than in January, it will be a little more difficult for things to stick.

Some snow does continue, however, into the evening in parts of Grayson, Wythe, Bland, Highland, Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties.

The bulk of accumulation happens on our west-facing slopes. Some light accumulation possible elsewhere, though.

This may in fact drop a light accumulation and lead to a few slick spots by Saturday morning. The main thing we’ll wake up to Saturday morning is the wind. It will be gusty at times Friday into Saturday morning, with peak gusts between 30 and 45 mph in the New River Valley, Highlands and Roanoke Valley.

Gusts in the NRV, Highlands and Roanoke Valley will peak between 30 and 45 mph.

It will feel like the teens first thing Saturday morning in the New River Valley and Highlands, and it will feel like the 20s elsewhere.

Some places will feel like the teens to start the weekend.

We’ll stay breezy and cool Saturday. By Sunday, we’re back to feeling like spring with high temperatures reaching the 60s. What a way to spring forward!


About the Author

Meteorologist Chris Michaels is an American Meteorological Society (AMS) Certified Broadcaster, forecasting weather conditions in southwest Virginia on WSLS 10 News from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays on Virginia Today.

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